Austro-Hungarian Red Book: Szogyeny to Berchtold, 21 July 1914

On 21 July 1914, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Germany Laszlo Count Szogyeny-Marich(pictured) wrote to the Austro-Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Leopold Count Berchtold. In his coded telegram, Szogyeny transmits the desire of German decision-makers to see the text of the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia before it is sent.

Count Szogyeny to Count Berchtold. Berlin 21 July 1914.

Cypher.—Strictly private.

According to yesterday’s document, the enclosed decree [the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia] could not be laid before this government before the morning of the 24th.

It is my humble opinion that the contents of the decree must absolutely be communicated to this government immediately, that is, before the other governments are informed, strictly in private for the present. I am confirmed in this opinion by a remark which the [German] Minister of Foreign Affairs [Gottlieb von Jagow] made during my visit to him today, when he asked me whether I had yet received information from Vienna on the contents of the note to be sent to Belgrade. He had been informed by Herr von Tschirschky [the German Ambassador to Austria-Hungary] that the note was to be presented on the 23rd and he thought that he might expect the allied German government to be informed earlier than the other cabinets of the contents of the note and the modalities of the step in Belgrade.

At the same time Herr von Jagow told me that he had reliable information that the President of the French Republic would not leave Kronstadt until Thursday at 10:00.